Dark Chocolate Mousse

A not-so traditional dark chocolate mousse but it tastes like chocolate ice cream and is thick and creamy!!! What more could you want?

What is chocolate mousse made of?

There are really two types of mousse, those made fluffy with egg whites and those made fluffy by the help of whipped cream. This one is the latter which makes it super simple as long as you don’t over whip the cream.

How to make soft and fluffy mousse?

The key to a soft and fluffy chocolate mousse is allowing the chocolate mixture to cool enough so that it doesn’t melt the cream and not over whipping the cream. It can be so tempting to whip the cream to stiff peaks but this will result in a stiff and grainy mousse. Just whip until soft peaks form and then fold in the chocolate. As it cools in the fridge it will continue to set.

Can chocolate mousse be made in advance?

Yes! If you are making it just one day in advance, simply make the mousse, divide it into the dishes you want to serve it in and store in the fridge overnight, covered. If you want to make it further in advance, I would make the chocolate custard ganache first, store it in a closed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Then bring it out to room temperature before folding in the whipped cream and serving it.

Additional Recipes to try:

• Chocolate Pudding
• Kalter Hund – No bake chocolate biscuit cake
• Mocha Ice Cream

Tips for making the best Chocolate Mousse

• Use high quality chocolate – this will make all the difference in a chocolate mousse. Don’t use chocolate chips with additives which prevent them from melting. I like to use Ghirardelli chocolate bars!
• Be sure to chop the chocolate finely so that it has no problem melting into the custard once you take it off the stove.
• Watch and stir the chocolate custard carefully to ensure you don’t scald the milk or split the egg.
• Make sure the chocolate custard ganache has cooled until thick but not solid, if it gets too cold, you’ll need to warm it gently in a warm room or in a bowl of warm water.
• Don’t over whip the cream. The cream should just be holding lines when you fold it into the chocolate. If it is too stiff or whipped at too high of a speed, it will make a grainy stiff mousse.

Ingredients

• Dark Chocolate: Anything from 45% to 75% chocolate will work for this mousse, just be sure it is a bar meant for baking and not chips as they have extra additives which prevent them from melting as well.
• Granulated Sugar: This is standard white sugar, it dissolves in the custard to give it that classic sweet taste and balance out the cocoa powder.
• Cocoa Powder: For this chocolate mousse, dutch processed or natural cocoa powder will work!
• Salt: A pinch of salt balances out the sweetness of the mousse and pairs perfectly with chocolate.
• Milk: I used cow’s milk in this recipe and haven’t tried it with any plant based milks. Anything from skim to whole milk will work!
• Vanilla Extract: It may seem counterintuitive but vanilla extract enhances chocolate flavor in the mousse.
• Egg Yolk: The egg yolk not only adds to the rich flavor but it also helps thicken the custard. I use standard large eggs from the store.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream or heavy whipping cream will work to whip and then fold into the chocolate mixture. I also like to top the portions of mousse with a little extra whipped cream sometimes.

How to make Dark Chocolate Mousse

Chocolate Ganache/ Custard Base

• Finely chop the dark chocolate and place in a medium, heat safe mixing bowl.
• In a small sauce pot, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
• Pour in the milk and whisk to combine. Then, pour in the vanilla and drop in the egg yolk before whisking once more.
• Place the pot over medium heat and whisk. Continue to whisk until the mixture just starts to steam and barely bubble.
• Remove the pot from the heat and pour over the chopped chocolate in the bowl. Whisk until all the chocolate has melted in.
• Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature or slightly colder, whisking every 10-15 minutes. It should become nice and thick like the inside of a truffle but not hard. To speed up the process, place the bowl in an ice bath or on an ice pack.

Whipped Cream

• Once cooled, thick, and glossy, whip the cream.
• Pour the cold heavy cream into a mixing bowl and whisk either by hand or with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form. I’m talking, just lines that stay once you stop the mixer. Not mountainous peaks.
• Add half of the whipped cream into the cooled chocolate mixture and use a flat rubber spatula to fold the cream in. Be careful not to just stir it in as this will deflate the cream and leave you with a dense mousse.
• Once fully incorporated, fold in the second half of the whipped cream.
• The mousse can be served immediately or first portioned out and stored in the fridge to allow it to firm up slightly before serving.
• Optionally top with a little more whipped cream and grated chocolate or cocoa powder.

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